Small teams collocated with product manager - Form teams of three developers and one product manager. Scale up to larger projects by dividing large teams into smaller "modules".

Sparse documentation - Document requirements and design, but don't spend too much time up front.

You may be able to glean an overarching theme from the practices above: the most reliable market understanding comes from putting real products in front of users. Keep in mind that these practices don't obviate the need for a product manager, as evidenced by the fact that Google has a product manager for every three product developers. You still need someone who:

Has the facilitation skills to elicit and interpret feedback from users.

Understands branding principles and how they influence product requirements.

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I'm a downtown Austin dweller with a passion for food, football (playing it, not watching it), knowledge, nutrition, investing, and a low-car lifestyle. In my professional life, I help companies make smart product decisions by applying customer development, lean startup methods, and timeless marketing principles.